What Are You Listening To Today?

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Posted by crumbsroom
7/23/2025 10:16 pm
#1141



 

 
Posted by crumbsroom
7/23/2025 10:29 pm
#1142



 

 
Posted by Rampop II
7/26/2025 6:24 pm
#1143



Wasn’t ready for this.

 
Posted by Rampop II
7/30/2025 4:52 pm
#1144

The leader of Red Baraat is Sunny Jain, internationally–acclaimed Indo–American dhol player, drummer and jazz composer, dubbed the "Hendrix of Dhol" and recognized as a leading voice in the burgeoning movement of South Asian–American jazz musicians


"I am a Punjabi Jain. A bit of an anomaly, I know. My folks were from Sialkot originally. After Partition, my mother moved to East Punjab and my dad to Rajasthan. But eventually they settled in Delhi and then came to Rochester, New York in 1970, where I was born."

"I suppose you could say, my parents were musical – in a sense. We had a very Jain background. There are a number of maharaj-ji’s on my dad’s side. He himself was a founder of Jain Society in Rochester and was very involved in the community. Singing bhajans is a big part of our life. And that was mixed with 60s-70s Hindi film songs. Though he wasn’t an accomplished player he had an Indian banjo and harmonium that we used to jam out to when I was young."

"Rich Thompson taught me from age 10-18 and is still my mentor. When I started I hoped he would teach me how to play like Rush! But he insisted that first I learn bossa nova and different jazz rhythms. He introduced me to Philly Joe Jones with the idea I’d join the school’s jazz ensemble. By the time I was 14 or 15, I began to really appreciate phrasing and the rhythmic elements of the drums. I remember listening to Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue for a few weeks and not getting it. It took me a while to understand the emotional depth of the music and Coltrane too. But once I got it , I was floored!"

"The second generation is now branching into all sorts of things. As a kid I never knew of anyone doing music. Vijay Iyer and I are both from Rochester. But I didn’t know anything about him until much later. He was the first Indian I met who played jazz. We all are definitely connected. I play with Vijay and Rez Abbasi and Rudresh Mahantappa. We all play together in different combos. We are in touch. And there are a lot of great new ones coming up too, people like Rafiq Bhatti and Samir Gupta. It is exciting."

"We don’t try to have one particular sound."

Egregious excerpts from Nate Rabe's 2016 interview in Scroll.in, Interview: Sunny Jain, the Bhangra King of desi jazz

 
Posted by Rampop II
7/31/2025 7:49 am
#1145

I've been on a deep dive into the music of drummer prodigy Senri Kawaguchi. Born in 1997, she's been drumming since age five, was already playing live and in studio with top professionals by age 14, and was on Drummerworld's list of top 500 drummers by age 13. Heavy hitters she's played with include Bootsy Collins, Guthrie Govan, and Eric Miyashiro's Blue Note Tokyo All-Star Jazz Orchestra. In addition to a solo career with five albums and three live DVDs under her belt, she's also the backbone of all–female septet The Jazz Avengers, as well as two wig–blowing prog/fusion groups Nankai Trio and Kiyo*Sen, plus a myriad of other projects. 

The Jazz Avengers are getting possibly the most recognition at the moment; it's pretty traditional stuff, played exceptionally well:


Yeah that bassist is amazing, too, isn't she?


Now, about blowing that wig:




Now stay with me once you've caught your breath and cleaned your brains from the ceiling after that last one, because I know it was a lot to take in.
But I think you'll agree I saved the best for last; this is her Senri Kawaguchi Band (or Kawaguchi Senri Bando in Japanese). Everyone seems so much more loosened–up, here, and just look at how much fun she's having:



Did I say "last?" Well, here's one to hit'cha where the back door bitch'a:


I hope you have plenty of mops.

Last edited by Rampop II (7/31/2025 8:09 am)

 
Posted by Jinnistan
8/02/2025 12:48 am
#1146

I've come across a couple of groups loosely called "desert blues" of "Sahara rock".  Basically Tuareg musicians in northwest Africa, using modern production and a mix of western/indigenous instruments.

I like Tinariwen the best so far.






 


 


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